Functional analysis of the Bunyamwera orthobunyavirus Gc glycoprotein
Abstract
The virion glycoproteins Gn and Gc of Bunyamwera orthobunyavirus (BUNV, family Bunyaviridae) are encoded by the M RNA genome segment and have roles in both viral attachment and membrane fusion. To investigate further the structure and function of the Gc protein in viral replication we generated twelve mutants that contain truncations from the N-terminus. The effects of these deletions were analysed with regard to Golgi targeting, low-pH dependent membrane fusion, infectious virus-like particle (VLP) formation and virus infectivity. Our results showed that the N-terminal half (453 residues) of the Gc ectodomain (909 residues in total) is dispensable for Golgi trafficking and cell fusion. However, deletions in this region resulted in significant reduction in VLP formation. Four mutant viruses that contain N-terminal deletions in their Gc proteins were rescued, and found to be attenuated to different degrees in BHK-21 cells. Taken together, our data indicate that the N-terminal half of the Gc ectodomain is dispensable for replication in cell culture, whereas the C-terminal half is required to mediate cell fusion. A model for the domain structure of the Gc ectodomain is proposed.
Citation
Shi , X , Goli , J , Clark , G , Brauburger , K & Elliott , R M 2009 , ' Functional analysis of the Bunyamwera orthobunyavirus Gc glycoprotein ' , Journal of General Virology , vol. 90 , no. 10 , pp. 2483-2492 . https://doi.org/10.1099/vir.0.013540-0
Publication
Journal of General Virology
Status
Peer reviewed
ISSN
0022-1317Type
Journal article
Rights
This article is published by the Society for General Microbiology under the Open Option which allows reuse for non commercial purposes.
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